CARROT CAKE
My gently spiced carrot cake uses a mixture of wholemeal and plain flour for extra depth. I’ve piped the cream cheese frosting, but you can simply spread it on if you prefer.
SERVES 8
● 150g plain flour
● 100g wholemeal plain flour
● 1tsp baking powder
● ½tsp fine salt
● 1½tsp ground cinnamon
● A pinch of ground cloves ● ½tsp ground nutmeg
● 200ml vegetable oil, plus extra to oil the tins
● 100g caster sugar
● 100g soft light brown sugar
● 3 large eggs
● 1tsp vanilla extract
● Finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange
● 200g peeled carrots, coarsely grated
● 100g walnuts, chopped
● 25g coconut flakes
FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
● 75g butter, at room temperature
● 50g icing sugar
● 300g cream cheese, at room temperature
TO FINISH
● Walnut halves
● Toasted coconut flakes
Heat your oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease two 20cm diameter sandwich tins and line the bases with baking paper. In a bowl, mix the flours, baking powder, salt and ground spices together and make a well in the middle.
In a separate bowl, whisk the oil, sugars, eggs, vanilla extract and orange zest and juice together until well combined. Pour the whisked mixture into the flour mixture and stir until you have a smooth batter. Stir in the grated carrots, chopped walnuts and coconut flakes. Divide the mixture between the prepared tins and smooth the surface to level. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the cake is risen and springy to the touch.
Meanwhile, make the cream cheese frosting. In a bowl, using a hand-held electric whisk, beat the butter until soft, then add the icing sugar and beat until creamy. Add the cream cheese and beat until just combined. Cover and chill until ready to use.
When the cakes are cooked, leave them to cool in the tins for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely. To assemble, put the cream cheese frosting into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm plain nozzle. Pipe half the frosting over one of the cooled cakes and sandwich together with the other cake. Pipe the remaining frosting decoratively over the top of the cake and finish with walnut halves and toasted coconut flakes.